Mr. Barron, 59, was placed on paid administrative leave almost two weeks ago after an assistant principal sat in on his history class while Mr. Barron was discussing the Jim Crow racial segregation laws. As part of the instruction, he showed a video of how white people back then used blackface to imitate African Americans during what they considered entertainment in the 1800s. According to parents whose children are in the eighth- grade class, the administrator thought the lesson plan was offensive and racist. Mr. Barron was suspended the next day. Adrienne Aaron’s husband is African American, and their child was in the class. She said Mr. Barron simply was showing the students what occurred in history. She said her daughter was not offended and felt the subject needs to be discussed.

In fact, Mrs. Aaron said she was more offended that administrators stopped the video. “It had nothing to do with racism. History is history. We need to educate our kids to see how far we’ve come in America. How is that racism?”

Mr. Barron’s teaching privileges were reinstated Sunday evening. He is set to retire soon after 36 years of teaching.

Thoughts on the video and the school’s reaction?

Was the lesson racist or just an attempt to reveal true American history?

Sound off below!

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The Black Youth Project is a platform that highlights the voices and ideas of Black millennials. Through knowledge, voice, and action, we work to empower and uplift the lived experiences of young Black Americans today.